June Social Gathering

Speaker	:	Mr. Sidney Ng, PhD, MBA, MCIM, Chartered Marketer Head of Regulatory, Clinical and Scientific Affairs Business Development Department CK Life Sciences Ltd.
Topic	:	Handy Tips for Beating Nasal Allergy
Date	:	June 4, 2008

Nasal allergy is a prime source of breathing problems in Hong Kong estimated to be affecting over 30% of the population. Yet, over half of these sufferers do not know how to distinguish between symptoms of nasal allergy and those of a common cold, let alone seeking proper treatment.

The CIM HK June Social Gathering was themed in "Handy Tips for Beating Nasal Allergy", and it featured Mr. Sidney Ng, who has accumulated 25 years of experience in basic medical science, ethical drug research and medical teaching, as the guest speaker.

His talk covered a number of issues relating to nasal allergy:
1) Nasal Allergy vs Common Cold
The symptoms are similar, e.g. sore throat, runny nose and sneezing, etc. In cases of common cold, symptoms typically last for four to 10 days. But for nasal allergy, symptoms are more prevalent in mornings and nights, and most likely to occur at times of dramatic shift of weather.

2) Two Types of Nasal Allergy
Allergic rhinitis is caused by allergens. Sufferers breathe in allergens causing inflammation in the nasal cavity. This includes hay fever.

Non-allergic rhinitis is caused by hyper-reaction of the parasympathetic nerve and increased blood flow.

3) Pathology of Allergic Rhinitis
According to a survey published by the Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, the major allergens in Hong Kong and the percentage of cases caused by these allergens, are:
1, Dust mites (95%)
2, Cockroaches (23%)
3, Cats (14%)
4, Dogs (5%)
5, Pollens (4%)

4) Remedy for Nasal Allergy
While there is no known cure to nasal allergy, the use of a number of commonly available drugs in easing the symptoms for sufferers were discussed.

About the Speaker:
Sidney Ng graduated from the Department of Medical Biochemistry at the University of Manchester Medical School. He has accumulated over 25 years of experience in basic medical science, ethical drug research and medical teaching, and has held senior positions with hospital-base research institutes and pharmaceutical companies. He is a regular columnist in health supplements for the Express Post and blog.eduplus.com.hk; and also frequently conducts health consultation sessions in collaboration with Watsons.

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